Oyo empire is one of the oldest empires in Nigeria, it’s an empire that recognises it’s Aláàfin as the Supreme authority or we can call him the emperor of the Oyo Empire. Oyo is very important in the history of Nigeria as a nation and it is not like any other kingdom.
In the Oyo empire, there are eight powerful women who play important roles in the running of the kingdom. Want to know who they are and the roles they play?, Check them out below
1) IYAMODE
Once a woman becomes an Iyamode, she becomes celibate and would stay away from s*x for the rest of her life. Iyamode literally lives in the palace and she’s is the superior of the celibates that live in the palace mausoleum.
She is the only person that king kneels before, but she returns the greeting by kneeling back as well. She is one out of the eight priestesses that live in the household of the Aláàfin.
2) IYA NASO
The Aláàfin is a very powerful king, he is worshipped as the living incarnation of the great god of thunder, Sango. The Aláàfin has a private place in his palace where he worships Sango, the Iya Naso is in charge of this sacred spiritual room.
She is responsible for everything that has to do with the worship and rituals in this room. She is responsible for everything that had to do with Sango worship.
3) IYA KERE
She is the person that places the crown on the head of the king at the coronation. She is also in charge of the treasures of the kingdom of the Oyo empire which includes the royal crown.
She is also the mother of the Illaris (the male and female eunuchs that are kept in the palace). The Illaris usually shave off their hair. She’s also in charge of keeping the sugudus that bears the mark of each Illari to ensure the king’s safety. Once the Iya kere assumes power, she remains celibate for the rest of her life.
4) IYA OBA
She is the official mother of the king. After the death of the Queen mother, she is the one that is supposed to play the role of the biological mother of the king.
Some of her pribiledges includes her being the third person in the room when the king and Bashorun worship the Orun in the month of September each year. Iya Oba is also the feudal head of the Bashorun.
5) IYA MONARI
Her role is to execute any Sango worshiper that has been condemned to death by strangling.
Sango worshipers that are condemned by capital punishment can’t be k*lled by sword. The Iya Monari is also the second in command and assistant to the Iya Naso.
6 ) IYA-FIN-IKU
The Iya-fin-iku is also referred to as the king’s Adoshu Sango which means a devotee of the king to Sango mysteries.
It is a normal practice for all the worshipers of Sango to Devote one of their offspring to the worship of Sango and this is the role of the Iya-Fin-Iku, she fulfils this role for the Aláàfin.
The Iya-fin-iku is also the person in charge of the Sango ram which is allowed to go anywhere around the market without getting molested. The ram can eat anything it likes from any seller.
7) IYALAGBON
The Iyalagbon is the mother of the crown prince known as Aremo, she becomes the mother of the crown prince in cases where the biological mother of the crown prince has passed away. She enjoys so much influence and pribiledges, she also controls a portion of the kingdom.
8) ARE ORITE
She is the personal attendant to the Aláàfin. She’s the person who supervises royal meals and makes sure that the royal bed is properly made.
The Are Orite also makes sure that the royal chambers of the Aláàfin is properly arranged. It is her role to place the umbrella-like sliken parasol over his head as a canopy and she is constantly by the side of the Aláàfin to see to his needs.
These women are very powerful and they play spiritual roles in the life of the Aláàfin.
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